City Bank, Belt Collins to be fined for donations

By Johnny Brannon
Advertiser Staff Writer

The state Campaign Spending Commission voted yesterday to fine two companies $500 each for contributing more than the $4,000 per donor limit to Honolulu Mayor Jeremy Harris' 2000 re-election campaign.

Commission executive director Robert Watada said there was no indication that City Bank and the engineering firm Belt Collins had intended to exceed the limit. City Bank gave Harris $4,125, and Belt Collins gave $4,500.

Watada said he is investigating whether more than 60 companies and individuals gave illegal contributions to Harris and other Hawai'i politicians. The five-member commission approved five fines against Harris contributors last month.

Harris' campaign attorney, Chris Parsons, said the campaign would not seek or knowingly accept improper contributions. He questioned whether Watada had selectively targeted supports of Harris, who is running for governor in 2002.

"We support enforcement of the campaign spending laws, but we want to be treated fairly," Parsons said. "This constant implication that there is wrongdoing is offensive and wrong."

Watada said he is also investigating whether excess contributions went to Gov. Ben Cayetano, Lt. Gov. Mazie Hirono, mayoral candidate Mufi Hannemann, and Maui Mayor James "Kimo" Apana.

A third Harris contributor, AJ Construction, also was to be fined $500 yesterday, but the commission deferred action because the company had yet to agree to the penalty in writing.

AJ Construction performed $31,000 worth of interior work on Harris' campaign headquarters but ultimately discounted the bill by $4,000, Watada said.

AJ Construction president Arsenio Agustin could not be reached yesterday, and Belt Collins president Anne Mapes declined to comment. City Bank senior vice president Wayne Miyao has said a change in bookkeepers led to the bank's error.

Reach Johnny Brannon at jbrannon@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8070.